After the initial meeting, the follow ups, the studio sessions, the waiting game, and the features, 7AM is finally ready for you to download. HERE it is - Bambeeno and Kixxie Siete’s newest project. Enjoy. #THATSHITGOES

For our last event of the year, Rick & Ray has teamed up with Sessions LA for a fundraiser. Together we’ve programmed a beat battle and producer showcase that will ultimately help Sessions LA continue their efforts through 2013.

As I’ve told you before, Sessions LA is a program that teaches youth and young adults music writing, production, recording, and DJing. Their mission is to promote development, nurture critical thinking, and foster community building through the process of creating music.

So next Thursday, December 27, help us keep this program alive and join us for THE HEATWAVE.

Last October, I had posted about the Philippines based brands Team Manila and Daily Grind Clothing. Owners Jowee and Mon were in town, so we all met up for 1) their Tastemakers interview and 2) a collaborative photoshoot. We finally got those pictures. I wasn’t expecting all that manipulation, but they came out great. They titled this photo series “Los Angeles Family” - a mix of faces from Rhythm Natives, Rick & Ray, and Tastemakers, entwined with our city’s imagery. Check them out:

Peace to Jowee and Mon and stay tuned for more projects involving them. Can’t wait!

As many of you have noticed, my posts on CA have been few and far between. I just haven’t been doing enough for it to be updated. It actually makes me feel bad because I’m not meeting my end of the bargain between me and you - the reader (especially the loyal ones).

Yesterday I tweeted that there would be an announcement posted. This is it: CA will no longer be updated regularly. I’m only going to commit to it when it’s required. The best way to know if there’s new content is to follow me on Twitter or like CA’s Facebook page.

Lately I’ve been exposed to a lot of death/birth, full circle stories. I am near the end of CA, but it has birthed so many opportunities that I am inclined to focus on 100%. I hope that the same people that have kept up with me here will follow me as I make more of an investment into Rick & Ray and Tastemakers.

It’s been an amazing run - I’ve fostered solid relationships, I created new ventures, I have fans. But most of all, I was constantly given the gift of time. Your time. You paid attention to me, my shitty photos, and my stories. Thank you and please remember I’m not completely done!

Like I said last time, if you told me or Shelly that we would interview who we would interview for Tastemakers, we wouldn’t believe you. The same goes for our next feature - Black Scale.

We met the co-owner, Mega, a few months ago at a bar; purely coincidental that we were at the same spot. We had a little liquid courage in us, so we went up to him. A brief conversation about the Black Scale women’s line and his Pilipinas passport turned into a Tastemakers feature. We exchanged numbers and after a few more months, we finally got our schedules together to get it done.

And here it is. It was probably the most intriguing interview we’ve conducted. No format, a whole lotta nerves, and an open mind about what Black Scale really means. We were taken aback through most of it, and we hope you will be, too.